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BARGAIN-RATE CAR INSURANCE W ITH BARGAIN-RATE SERVICE IS NO BARGAIN Don't trust just anyone to insure your car. see me: W a y n e M c G ill 2345 W^crofr Rd. #21, Oakville 905-847-5671 An Oakville Beaver Automotive Feature · To advertise in this section call 905-845-3824 or Fax 905-337-5568 W EDNESDAY, D e c e m b e r 4 . 2 0 0 2 · Page C8 BEST WHEELS differential, power is distributed 50/50 under normal conditions but that can go to 67/33 bias to the front or rear depending on conditions. Of course there is ABS on the four-disc brakes (vented front/solid rear) but there is also VW's Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) Available as a sedan at $53,400 and a Wagon at $54,575, VW proudly points out this is the lowestpriced, German-built eight-cylinder sedan on the market. Recently I had a chance to sample the Wagon version of the W8 during the annu al Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) Car of the Year. I was immediately struck by how much room there was back of the front seats. With 2.6 cubic metres of interior volume, the Passat offers one full cubic metre of cargo space that increases 50 per cent when you fold the two rear seats flat. Despite being only a car-width, the laneway proved no problem and I got around in three points, something that would be a credit to a front-drive car. Acceleration was solid as I remembered being very much in the same league as We Ship Anything, Anywhere. R4K/H4IL M ail Box Rental^g/Ya^ B E S T P R IC E IN TOW N 24 H R . A C C E SS CALL-IN M AIL C H E C K P A R C E L R E C E IV IN G 233 Cross Ave. 'SZiZlS 905-337-7447 The Passat W 8 Wagon can get you anywhere in style When I first tested the 2002 Passat V8 Sedan earlier this year, I noted Volkswagen has a very loyal base of buyers who have been buying VWs ever since the Beetle, or have grown up in a family who have tradi tionally bought Volkswagens. It's the kind of brand loyalty you see with a few o t h e r m a k e rs where the top brass hasn't forg o t t e n that pro viding the kind of v e h ic le p e o p l e want, as o p p o se d Jim Robinson to what the pundits want, is how they got to be big. As the need began to appear, VW engi neers had also been working on extrapola tions of its VR-engine format of multi valve normally-aspirated engines with pis tons offset at just 15 degrees forming a very narrow 'V' that was very compact. The eight-cylinder or 'W8' is what the engineers came up with for the new flagship 2002 Passat W8 as tested here. The 12 will power the Phaeton and the 16 will be used in the Bugatti supercar. What made it even better is the compact W8 fits in the engine bay of the current Passat with room to spare, so that zero re engineering was needed. Producing 270 hp and 273 lb/ft of torque, you would think this four-cam multi-valve would need tons of revs to come up to power, but maximum torque is available at just 2,750 rpm. The result is a Passat that can nudge you back into the seat under hard acceleration. In fact, the W8 hits the 100 km/h mark from rest at just 6.5 seconds. Fuel economy (pre mium recommended) is surprisingly good at 13.8L/100 km/h (18 mpg) city, 9.2L/100 km/h (25 mpg) highway. There is one transmission, a five-speed Tiptronic automatic that allows automatic or sequential shifting. VW also includes 4Motion as standard. Using a centremounted TORSEN (TORque SENsing) some of the premium sports sedans I was also driving at the same time. With the added feature of 4Motion, and with the temperature hovering at zero and the humidity at 95 per cent, I was mindful the road surfaces, but the 4Motion made short work of pooled water. Even though I knew the torque was being transferred back and forth at these points. I didn't feel or sense anything. Especially for those who com mute long distances or like to access the cottage year round, 4Motion is pretty hard to beat. And that's made doubly so by the cabin creature comforts that work as effi ciently as they look. While this is really just another step up for the Passat, it really is a giant step for VW and where it intends to position itself for the future. As for the Passat W8, it is going to sur prise a lot of people who normally would n't consider a Volkswagen, and please a lot of people for whom no other marque will do. THE NEW 2003 VOLVO S40 IS HERE AT AN EXCEPTIONAL LEASE RATE OF $399/M0NTH $Q n O -- IMU M n SECURITY DEPOSIT do w n paym ent · Based on 48 months lease, no down paym ent or security deposit is required. PDI and transport ($1,195) license, taxes and first m onth lease paym ent are due upon delivery. KM allowance is 80,000, excess KM are charged at $0.08 per KM. End of lease purchase option is $14,809. · 5-Speed Automatic Transmission · Alloy Wheels · Whiplash Protection System · Inflatable Side Safety Curtains · Cruise Control · Remote Keyless Entry with Alarm · Electronic Climate Control · Anti-Lock Braking System · Turbocharged Engine · Premium Audio System VOLVO OF OAKVILLE 770 Pacific Road, Oakville (QEW and Bronte Road South) The Passat W8 Wagon really comes into its own in conditions where the road surface is less than ideal. With eight-cylinder power and 4Mtion drive, this Wagon can get you anywhere and in the highest style. VOLVO 905-825-8088 y fe AUTOPARK SUPERSTORE ON DISPLAY - ALL MAKES & MODELS LUXURY VEHICLES t o c h o o s e f r o m in c lu d in g 3 11 P R E -O W N E D VEHIC LES 31 SPORTS VEHICLES t o c h o o s e f r o m in c lu d in g 14 Lincoln, Cadillac, Buick, Jaguar, Acura, BMW, Volvo and Saab Mustang, Camaro and Corvette 2000 Lincoln LS 2000 Ford Mustang Convertible Automatic, 6 cylinder, 56,826 kms, 3.0L, fog lamps, power moonroof, power mirrors, lumbar support, leather interior, heated seats, traction control, auto climate control, power seats, alloy wheels, multi-disk CD changer, power windows, memory seats. Stk#0-00867 26,900 Automatic, 6 cylinder, 76,384 kms, 3.8L, spoiler, cruise control, leather interior, power driver seat, p ow er locks, air conditioning, power windows, premium audio system, alloy wheels, CD player, Stk#0-31695. * 19,900 COMPACT VEHICLES to c h o o s e f r o m in c lu d in g 77 97 2000 Ford Windstar LX MINI VANS t o c h o o s e f r o m in c lu d in g Windstar, Caravan, Astro, Montana, Venture and MPV Cavalier, Focus. Saturn. Sunfire, Civic and Accent 2001 Pontiac Sunfire SE Automatic, 4 cylinder, 29,372 kms, air conditioning, intermittent wipers, 2.2L, dual air bags, power locks, 4 door, spoiler, CD player. Stk#1-06920 * 11,900 Automatic, 6 cylinder, 59,578 kms, power mirrors, locks, windows, 3.8L, alloy wheels, extended, dual sliding doors, dual air bags, air conditioning, intermittent wipers. Stk#0-38347. * 13,900 SUV's 32 payments* * . PICKUP'S t o c h o o s e f r o m in c lu d in g 16 to c h o o s e f r o m in c lu d in g QMC, Dodge, Ford, Chevrolet, 4x4's and 2WD's GMC, Dodge, Ford, Chevrolet, 4x4's and 2WD's 2000 GMC Sierra 1500 18,900 t i l J u n e 2 0 0 3 * 19,900 2000 FORD WINDSTARS HURRY! THEY WON'T LAST. ALL 3 6 mo ONLY LOADED TAKE WALK QDAD YOUR SEATS AWAY PER DDAL PICK LEASE MONTH A/C Automatic, 6 cylinder, 45,595 kms, tinted windows, power locks, windows, mirrors, 4.3L, air conditioning, roof rack, dual air bags, CD player, alloy wheels, cruise control. Stk#0-19969. j n a e a cab, c a D , a ir c o n a m o n in g , ^ x ^ , 8 cylinder, tinted windows, 81,222 kms, 4.8L,3 dr, extended air conditioning, 4x4, dual air bags, box liner, tilt steering, intermitent wipers,box liner, Stk#0-62943. *299 * N o p a y m e n t s 'til J u n e 2 0 0 3 O .A . C . E x a m p le : 1 9 9 8 C h e v r o le t M a lib u , S a le P r ic e $ 1 0 , 9 0 0 + a d m in , a n d ta x e s = $ 1 2 , 7 6 3 . 8 5 a m o u n t b o r r o w e d , $ 2 6 5 /m o . f o r 6 0 m o s . @ 7 . 7 % A P R . T o ta l o f p a y m e n t s $ 1 5 , 9 1 2 .6 0 . In te r e s t b le n d e d o v e r t e r m o f f in a n c e . T o ta l c o s t o f b o r r o w in g is $ 3 , 1 4 8 .7 5 o r $ 6 2 9 . 7 5 p e r y e a r . * * 5 .9 % f in a n c in g o n m a x im u m t e r m o f 3 6 m o n t h s , m a x im u m a m o u n t f in a n c e d is $ 1 5 , 0 0 0 O .A . C . C a ll d e a le r f o r d e ta ils . * * * $ 2 9 9 + ta x p e r m o n t h f o r 3 6 m o n t h s . B u y - b a c k v a r ie s w ith e a c h v e h ic le . L ic e n c e a n d a d m in , fe e e x tr a . S e e d e a le r fo r d e ta ils . S a le e n d s D e c . 8 /0 2 o mot i ve P e rstore AUTOPARK SUPERSTORE w w w .a u to p a rk s u p e rs to re .c o m E m ail: in fo @ a u to p a rk s u p e rs to re .c o m 4 3 N. in 9 0 1 5 S e rv ic e Road B u rlin g to n 5 -3 3 1 -8 5 0 0 Betw een A p p leby and Walkers Line Off the Q E W in Burlington "T H E D R IV IN G F O R C E , W H E R E S E L E C T IO N IS E V E R Y T H IN G !"